Advice on Teeth Whitening Discussion Thread

JennyW_2

donteatthat wrote: »

I'm a dentist happy to fill in while toothsmith isn't here!

The strengths depend on whether you are using carbamide peroxide(CP) or hydrogen peroxide (HP)

CP breaks down slowly to HP over a number of hours. Typically 15%CP liberates @ 3%HP (or something like that can't remember the exact figure off-hand). HP breaks down quickly ie) 1 hour and typical strengths are @9%.
CP is usually used in custom fitted trays over night, and HP in disposable ones.

So if JennyW is using 9% over 45 mins she may actually be using HP and it may be too strong for her.

Jenny - are the trays disposable? Or do you have fitted trays? Do you have cracks in the enamel of your teeth? Are you aware if you clench or grind your teeth at night? Have you got receeding gums? Have you had any knocks or trauma to your teeth in the past?

Sensitivity is usually short lived with tooth whitening but the advice I give my patients is:
1.Home whitening with CP at 10%-15% in fitted trays, I don't usually bother with the disposable ones, although I have tried them and they do work, but I think only useful for top-ups
2. If they are getting sensitivity do alternate nights of whitening and using Colgate GelKam toothpaste in the trays.
3. If the sensitivity is extreme go back to the surgery.
4. Proceed with caution in patients who are tooth grinders - they often have the most sensitivity.

I'll be along later to see how you're getting on.

HTH,

donteatthat

thanks for your response

The trays are custom fit ones and I'm using ACP day white 7.5% and it's HP. I don't have any of the problems you mentioned above (ie receeding gums, cracks). It's just that the bottom ones have become sensitive to cold and occasionally I get a sharp short pain in one of my front teeth, I'd say though that it's slightly better than yesterday so perhaps I needed to lay off it for a while.

You don't think I've done any nerve damage or long lasting damage do you? i just cant quite understand what makes the teeth go sensitive?

angel

As my dentist is a very good friend and does a good discount most of my family and friends have had trays made and used 15% gel. Everyone that I've spoken to about it have had the sharp pains to various degrees. I'd like to know why too, I'd just accepted it as I'd been warned about it.

JennyW_2

angel wrote: »

As my dentist is a very good friend and does a good discount most of my family and friends have had trays made and used 15% gel. Everyone that I've spoken to about it have had the sharp pains to various degrees. I'd like to know why too, I'd just accepted it as I'd been warned about it.

well I've had 2 days off now and it seems to be easing but I'm not sure if it'll return if I try again. I will try to call the dentist but the receptionists aren't very knowledgeable that's why I'm trying to source help here! Its nuisance really as my teeth are slightly whiter than my bottoms so I need to catch them up.

donteatthat

When you are whitening your teeth you are basically sending oxygen free radicals through them which strip out the colour of the dentine. The oxygen dissipates through the pulp of the tooth (the nerves and the blood supply) and this is where the nerves can become sensitive. There is most certainly unlikely to be any lasting damage, but if you are using a 7.5% HP product you would probably be much more comfortable with a 10% CP product which will liberate much less HP and therefore less sensitivity.
I would ask the dentist to give you an alternative product - if you continue to use the product you are using you may find the sensitivity lingers for quite a while.

HTH
donteatthat

SparkyG

donteatthat wrote: »

There is most certainly unlikely to be any lasting damage,

It's the nerve irritation with the 'zingers' that worries me:eek: When you have a tooth worked on at the dentist it's a well known fact that any drilling can inflame the nerve, and then there is the possibility of permanent damage, so by my reckoning constantly irritating the nerve with the bleach could also have the same outcome?

I have put this question to many dentists, both in person and on forums, and quite understandably no one will say that this would definitely not happen. It just seems to me that repeatedly irritating the nerve can not be good!:o Any one else had the same thoughts as me?

Mind you, I still continue to whiten my teeth, but by using the gel with ACP I don't get the 'zingers' anymore.;)

SparkyG

dude_3

I have used the last syringe of day white 7.5% i am slowly gettin there i had a word with my dentists nurse who has told me they charge fifty pounds per replacement syringe:eek: and i do think i am goin to need more than one! I had the whole kit to begin wiht that cost me 200pounds wich had six syringes in it! so cant understand why the reffils are so expensive have tried dentist.net wich are alot cheaper but the problem is the expiry date on them is 8/8/2007. must admit i am a bit worried of buyin them off the net in case there dodgy any advice wud be really helpful? thanks

SparkyG

Try www.dentist.net

Search posts under my name for references to this site.

HTH

angel

Are you overfilling the trays? I used under two syringes when I did my teeth a while back, I have the rest in the fridge!

Oh and don't buy from ebay. I mentioned on here before that I did try some very cheap gel from ebay and my gums started to burn badly within minutes of putting the trays in. Luckily I managed to rinse it off very quickly and no damage was done but it did make me realise that any nutter or teenager having a laugh could fill syringes with anything. That was a lesson learned!

JennyW_2

dude wrote: »

I have used the last syringe of day white 7.5% i am slowly gettin there i had a word with my dentists nurse who has told me they charge fifty pounds per replacement syringe:eek: and i do think i am goin to need more than one! I had the whole kit to begin wiht that cost me 200pounds wich had six syringes in it! so cant understand why the reffils are so expensive have tried dentist.net wich are alot cheaper but the problem is the expiry date on them is 8/8/2007. must admit i am a bit worried of buyin them off the net in case there dodgy any advice wud be really helpful? thanks

I'm using 7.5% ACP daywhite too and I was only given 3 syringes to start with - like you though, this was no way enough. I had only completed one week! I've had to purchase 3 more syringes for £50 :eek: However I have just given my teeth the weekend off as they were getting a bit sensitive.
I think perhaps you may be using too much - I was. Am still trying to gauge how much to use, it's a bit fiddly isn't it?

SparkyG may pop along later but she uses dentist.net for her products. I had no choice but to go back to my dentist as I needed to carry on with the treatment.

How long have you been whitening - how are the results so far?

JennyW_2

SparkyG wrote: »

It's the nerve irritation with the 'zingers' that worries me:eek: When you have a tooth worked on at the dentist it's a well known fact that any drilling can inflame the nerve, and then there is the possibility of permanent damage, so by my reckoning constantly irritating the nerve with the bleach could also have the same outcome?

I have put this question to many dentists, both in person and on forums, and quite understandably no one will say that this would definitely not happen. It just seems to me that repeatedly irritating the nerve can not be good!:o Any one else had the same thoughts as me?

Mind you, I still continue to whiten my teeth, but by using the gel with ACP I don't get the 'zingers' anymore.;)

SparkyG

"Zingers" - that's a good word I liken them to little electric shocks, however they didn't happen yesterday so the few days break seems to have helped. My gel has ACP so god knows how bad the zingers would be if it didn't have this :eek:

It concerns me too that constant irritation will damage the nerve. I'm getting a bit wary now about continuing my treatment.........